"An Argentine is an Italian who speaks English and thinks he's English." This widespread and significant aphorism explains well the frustration that is a trace of the Argentine national character of the Europeans who feel that "an accident of God," in the words of Garcia Marquez, find themselves living in Latin America.
But it's also an adage that testifies to the admiration of the people of Argentina for the British. There is a simple indicator to understand: when the Argentines get rich now enrolling children in a private English school in the suburbs of Buenos Aires, such as the Northlands, Saint Hilda's or St Andrews. But
hand in hand with admiration, resentment runs deep, and is the combination of these two feelings combined with unusual intensity is experienced, which makes it so unique rivalry between Argentina and England when it comes to football.
resentment in a way that is rooted in the conquest by the British during the nineteenth century: the galleons with the British flag landed in Argentina and have gradually usurped the power to the Spaniards. An echo of this vision of the English poor continues to survive. When Aldo Duscher, Deportivo La Coruna's Argentine, was out with a tackle hard to forget David Beckham forcing him to miss the World Cup in 1998, newspapers Argentines have hailed as a hero, but a listener, speaking live, complained because of that tackle "as an excuse when the pirates will lose."
small contingent of British troops have also tried to "invade" Buenos Aires in 1806 and 1807: Argentine children are taught these two battles like Waterloo or Agincourt country. Throughout the twentieth century England has continued to have a cultural and economic power over a nation that already from the Victorian era, was part of the 'informal empire "of His Majesty.
Second-free future, and black sheep in search of redemption or flight departed from Southampton to seek his fortune in Argentina, where they built railways and introduced the game of football. The first match was in fact organized by a teacher in Glasgow, Alexander Watson Hutton, the Buenos Aires Cricket Club 20 June 1867. In field two teams of workers employed in the construction of the railway: the "white hats" beat the "red hats" 4-0. It is said that during the match a baby Argentina has asked his father what they were doing those "strange people" who chased a ball, and his father responded, "are just some of the English 'Wait."
But in 1891, Argentina has its own league, the Argentine Association Football League, founded by Watson Hutton in 1891: to play one league with five teams at the start. A new league, the Argentine Association Football League, which will become the AFA, was founded in 1893. Begins to manifest a difference in style: the English play a more physical football, the South American-influenced Italian and English, developed the game "criollo", more related to quality and individual play.
Argentina is the first national, after Scotland, to challenge England at Wembley in 1951, but the Three Lions won 2-1. Two years after the two teams face two more times, always in Buenos Aires. The first time the Albiceleste win 3-1: the British do not consider quell'amichevole official But Argentina has also FIFA. It 'the first British victory over Argentina. A politician says: "We have nationalized the railroads and now we also nationalized the football." There are no doubts or disputes, however, on the second challenge, which is stopped due to torrential rain after 36 minutes with the score 0-0.
The national meet again at the World Cup 1962 in Chile (English victory 3-1) and June 1964, the Taca de Nacoes friendly tournament in Brazil: Argentina 1-0 success. But it is the 1966 World Cup quarter-final at Wembley, which the Argentines still remember as "the theft of the century", to turn all of the rivalry.
For the first time all the fouls are not counted. At the beginning of the recovery, then, the Argentine captain Antonio Rattini ejected.
In South America the newspapers tell the referee that the German Rudolf Kreitlein said to have him expelled because he liked the way the player looked at him, in England, however, argue that the measure is motivated by "verbal violence" even if Rattini Kreitlein and speak different languages \u200b\u200band the player has repeatedly called for the intervention of an interpreter. The Argentinians have the feeling that a conspiracy is in place to remove them from the competition, a feeling that becomes more strong (albeit probably not justified) after Ken Aston, the English supervisor of referees comes into play to convince Rattini to leave the field, and even more so when Geoff Hurst scored the goal-victory, from a position held by opponents an offside.
At the end of that game the English manager, Alf Ramsey, called the Argentinians "animals". A perceived form of racism that has added meaning to one of the most intense rivalries in the history of football and sport.
explains Daniel Bertoni: "Playing against England is not like playing with other national, neither the English nor the French nor with Italy, a nation well from which many Argentines are descended, and even Brazil. That rivalry with England is a classic, for reasons political, historical, but also because we feel that football is our game when we play against England and we try to say what we feel like ours. "
Roberto Perfumo, who was captain for seven years, wrote for the main national newspaper, is the author of a book in its brutal honesty about football, "Playing football and even an expert psychologist goes further:" When British companies were the first brought football to us, the Argentines could not play with them. For as we see they have always the superiority of English, even though they know they have to fight so if they want to beat us. Win against Argentina is like for the students beat the masters. "
A feeling of revenge that the "students" on the "masters" who breathed and is seen clearly in 1982 when, with the echo is not completely dormant patriotism of exasperation on the success of Mundial in the house, the military junta ago war to the British for the possession of the Falkland Islands, or Malvinas to Argentines.
The Falklands War
On 22 December 1981 the Argentine Army General Leopoldo Fortunato Galtieri took the post of president for life with absolute power and pursues systematic repression of any political opponent: the "Plan Condor" in which all the Latin American dictatorships with the support of the U.S..
The policy of "national reorganization", however, generates only discontent. The military hopes to regain public support by focusing on nationalism and the Falkland seem an easy task. The dispute over the small archipelago, 300 miles from Tierra del Fuego, began in the sixteenth century in Spain (which then controlled the Argentina) and England who obtained control in 1833 and named in honor of the Falkland Viscount, treasurer of the Royal Navy.
The United Kingdom, which defends possession for the most strategic position for the actual revenues, seeks diplomatic solutions since 1965, but the 1800 inhabitants of Scottish descent opposed the return of the islands to Argentina, which calls for UN intervention.
Galtieri has cooperated with the CIA and is perceived as a bastion of anti-communism: a role by virtue of which he earned the praise of the Reagan administration. So I think you can have a free hand on the military for operations that do not disturb too much the western allies.
The conservative politics of Reagan, however, is not too far from that of Margaret Thatcher. And England, the mid-eighties, not through a period flourishing. The recession is spreading, multiply strikes and protests and elections are approaching underdog who see the Conservative Party. The attitude of the Argentine on the Falklands offers different opportunities for the Iron Lady.
The Argentine invasion materializes to 21 of April 1, 1982, when a commando of 84 members of the Armada Argentina led by Lieutenant Commander Guillermo Sánchez-Sabarots leave the destroyer ARA SantÃsima Trinidad (D-2). At the same time the submarine ARA Santa Fe lands 10 other raiders to fill the Lighthouse San Felipe. 1 .30-Sabarots Sanchez's men are divided: group, commanded by Sanchez himself, rushes towards the barracks of Marines British Moody Brook, the second goes to Puerto Argentino / Port Stanley to capture the governor. They do not know, however, that the British, forewarned, had emptied the barracks and the residence of the Governor are entrenched three Marines killed three Argentine soldiers, including Lieutenant Commander Pedro Giacchino. The Argentines, with position changes and flash-bang grenades are believed to be facing British forces in excess of the real ones. At 8:30 am Governor Hunt and Major Norman discuss the possibility of starting a guerrilla war, but believing surrounded, offer an hour after the surrender of Admiral Busser. On 2 April, Galtieri hoisted the flag in the capital, now renamed Puerto Argentine and a cheering crowd in Plaza de Mayo celebrated in Buenos Aires. In Europe, however, the reception is much less festive. On 10 April, the European Union voted economic sanctions against Argentina, approved by all but Italy and Ireland. The U.S., while not uttering sentences diplomatic damage to spy on British military aid, while leaving that for the reconquest of the islands.
Galtieri had not expected to face a war of great proportions. On the island there are young recruits, inexperienced and unprepared, with obsolete weapons, which do not already know how to respond to the first raid of the aircraft carriers HMS Hermes and HMS Invincible on 19 April.
Another blow, probably the heaviest for the Argentine army, is the sinking of the ARA Belgrano, torpedoed on May 2 by the nuclear-powered submarine Conqueror. The attack, which occurs just outside the exclusion zone, sea, killing 323 crew members. The psychological impact is devastating. The Argentine fleet is locked for the duration of hostilities. Simultaneously the Argentine army can no longer groped the way for diplomatic mediation and Galtieri has no way to settle successes: the population understands that the British mean business and that the conflict will be neither easy nor quick. The problems
great for both armies, are logistical. The more than thirteen thousand Argentine soldiers are forced to travel on foot, ill-armed and stocks. For the British, so far away from the motherland, any delay in supply is likely to be fatal.
The British Army can still count on the support of the U.S. and develops in early June on the offensive end, preceded by SAS paratrooper landings and amphibious troops. Port Stanley falls on June 14. The war ends on 20, after 74 days of fighting, with 258 victims between the Argentines and 649 British. For
Galtieri is the end, even politics. After a year of vacillating government, in 1983 the people of Argentina can return to vote in free elections. Margaret Thatcher is reconfirmed, however, at the helm of England and strengthen its parliamentary majority. The inhabitants of the Falkland Islands get benefits of citizenship and the islands over the years become a major tourist destination.
All in ninety minutes
"In 1986 there was enough to beat England, that was our primary goal: to win the World Cup was secondary for us." So Roberto Perfumo recalls the feelings of the dominant first quarter-final is intended to make World Cup history. Ninety minutes in which you concentrate on the best and worst, the talent and the anger, hatred and pride, Mano de Dios and the goal of the century.
England, forget the glory days of two decades earlier, he risked elimination in the first round, but Bobby Robson's team relies on goals from Peter Beardsley and Gary Lineker, who made three goals and two in Poland Paraguay and qualify for the quarterfinals. Argentina, which still has not forgotten the outcome of the Falklands War, immediately shows that his style of short passing, faster and enchant the Azteca in Mexico City. 8 'Maradona is to fit space but is spread by defender Terry Fenwick 25 meters from the door. Peter Shilton, the English goalkeeper, deviation angle in the resulting free-kick.
But England to create the first true thrill of the game. Everything stems from the passage Glenn Hoddle's point guard who tries Beardsley; Pumpido, the number one albiceleste, slides and opens the face of goal but the Newcastle striker ends into the side netting.
Argentine coach, Carlos Bilardo, is not satisfied and asked the team to pick up the pace. Maradona satisfies him and began to harass the opponent's defense with a series of dribbling that apply to the Argentine national team a number of dangerous punishment from the limit: one of these, the 33 ', is close to the pole. Shilton thanks.
I do biancocelesti the game, and the British defenders fall into the trap of nervousness. At 40 'Terry Butcher throws an elbow in the face to Maradona, and if you think of Ipswich Town stopper to put out the Pibe de Oro has his predictions wrong. The result is still the range of 0-0. But the story is yet to be written.
Six minutes into the second half. Maradona cut inside from the right, passes diagonally Valdano low shot to the edge of the area and continues its run expecting to receive the touch of a partner's return. Its passage, however, ends up just behind Valdano and is intercepted by Steve Hodge, folding defensive midfielder left (at the end of the game will switch his jersey with just one of Maradona). His attempt to raise, however, is clumsy and the ball rises. Peter Shilton out but, despite being in the top twenty centimeters more than Pibe de Oro, you anticipate that Maradona touched the ball with his left fist.
"I was waiting for my teammates to come and embrace me," he said afterwards. "I explained to them, come and celebrate with me, or the referee will cancel the goal." But the Tunisian Ali Bin Nasser has not seen the touch of his hand and validate the network. Argentina is in the lead. In the post-match press conference Maradona will say: "That goal was scored with a little la cabeza de Maradona y otro little with the hand of God". In his autobiography he sums up, not without a hint of complacency, the cunning, the impropriety. "It 's been a little' how to steal the portfolio to an Englishman. " For this, he says, still a bit 'prefer that the second goal, scored just four minutes later, what we all now call "The Goal of the Century." Hector Enrique goes to Diego, a dozen meters from the halfway line. The Pibe de Oro jumps Glenn Hoddle, Peter Reid, Kenny Sansom, Terry Butcher and Terry Fenwick and arrives in area. "My intention was to pass Valdano" he explained, "but once I found myself in the area surrounded by opponents. I did not have space, I had to continue the action. " And the action continues. Maradona also jumps Peter Shilton and score into an empty net.
Part of credit for that goal is his brother, who had criticized because, having tried a similar slalom in a friendly at Wembley in 1980, he preferred instead to pull around the goalkeeper Ray Clemence. None, however, know if Maradona would attempt a similar action and put into practice the advice even at 0-0.
England, however, as expected before giving up skiing in all its reserves of energy and fighting spirit. At 69 'Pumpido, the Argentine goalkeeper, was forced to a flash is not easy to raise the penalty over the crossbar from 25 yards to Glenn Hoddle, probably the best of her. Robson asks the team to insist, to be more aggressive and has especially on the contribution of Chris Waddle and John Barnes on the outside.
And it is the wing of Watford to sign the assist for Gary Lineker than 12 minutes to go shorter distances scoring his sixth goal of the World. The British hope to come back, but the Albiceleste try now to turn off the enthusiasm of the Three Lions. 82 'Maradona exchange with the newcomer Carlos Tapia, Kenny Sansom and goes around shooting that ends, however, a little off.
One last thrill runs behind the backs of South America, three minutes from time. The action is identical to the goal from Lineker. Barnes' cross from the left, which seems to divert the attacker Everton winning, but in extremis Julio Olarticoechea can to divert and save for a corner. Argentina is in the semifinals. For the English
disappointment is bitter. "We beat Paraguay in the last round, we thought that this could be our year," he explained a few years after Terry Butcher. "After the match, I, Gary Stevens and Kenny Sansom were in the room for doping. We just wanted to hurry as soon as possible when it comes Maradona. It really was the last person I wanted to see at that time. Sure, he had scored a great goal, but the goal of hand is not forgivable. And the sad thing is that I was fooled twice. He spoke no English, and I did not speak English, but I still asked if she had touched with head or hand. He has touched his head. "
In his autobiography, about the game, Maradona writes: "Even if we had said before the game that football had nothing to do with the Malvinas war, we knew that they had killed a lot of guys from Argentina, they were killed as little birds. This was our revenge. "
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